90 years ago: Guy Fawkes Day in Toronto

The following article from page 8 of The Toronto Daily Star, November 8, 1927 offers a glimpse at Toronto and Canada when the city and country were recognizably Canadian. The reader may be surprised to see comments from an Anglican clergyman who was an unabashed Protestant and equated Canadian and British interests. That's what Canada was before it became Trudeaupia, and before the clergy became compromised and feminized. The "present government" mentioned in the article was the Liberal federal government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Today Mr. King would be considered so "far right" by the antichrists, perverts, and potheads who inhabit the party and government that currently goes by that name, that he would denied membership and possibly imprisoned.

Rev. F.C. Ward-Whate, priest-vicar of St. Alban's Cathedral, showed himself no respecter of political parties last Saturday night. Both the former leader of the Conservative party, Rt. Hon. Arthur Meighen, and the present government's immigration policy came in for some scathing comment from the venerable Anglican clergyman, when he spoke to 10,000 people assembled for the second annual celebration of Guy Fawkes' day, held by Toronto Orangemen in Riverdale Park.

The priest-vicar of St. Alban's strongly repudiated the attitude of Mr. Meighen as enunciated in his famous Hamilton pseech with respect to Canada's war-time policy. He declared no loyal Orangeman could take such a stand, for the lion's whelps were involved in everything that concerned the British mother lion.

"When Britain is at war, Canada is at war," he said. "When the old lioness roars across the sea, we do not need ballots, we need men to uphold British ideals and traiditons. Every red-blooded Canadian would always be willing to fight for the motherland."

His remarks were greeted by loud cheers from the assembled throng.

"I am afraid we have not taken to heart all the lessons we should have from the gunpowder plot," said Rev. Ward-Whate. "Take the question of immigration. Why should there be 25 Roman Catholic priests and only two Protestant ministers bringing settlers to this country? As Protestants, we should unite and demand that we be given equal representation so that our fair share of Protestant people will come to Canada. We have been altogether to indifferent about this matter, and we should go to the government as one man and see to it that we get the same rights as Roman Catholics."

During the course of the evening, an effigy of Guy Fawkes was committed to the flames, and as the fire burned, a searchlight was turned on the blazing mass so that all could see the fate in store for any who would attempt to blow up the "mother of parliaments." A short but impressive event was the sounding of the Last Post and the Reveille by two buglers, and as the plaintive notes shrilled out over the hushed crowd, this time centering on the trumpeters, who were shown up in bold relief against the dark background of trees and the northern slope of the park.

The gathering was held under the auspices of Armstrong Memorial L.O.L. 3001, with the co-operation of other Toronto judges. Cecil W. Armstrong, past grand secretary, was chairman of the committee in charge.